Proactive Y10s book an appointment BEFORE year 11 starts
From Year 11, there are no more off-timetable days to just think about careers. There are still career assemblies, talks, and ad-hoc events that you are very welcome to attend though.
It's a very good idea to have a careers appointment at the end of Year 10, or in Year 11 as well. Book one by clicking on the button at the top of the page. 98% of students who take up the chance of a careers appointment report that it is very helpful. It opens up possibilities that they had not considered and gives them definite steps to take. Every appointment is different - designed to fit the student's needs, but typically they last between 30 and 45 minutes and contain:
An assessment of where you are now and what your target/predicted grades mean for your future.
Exploring the careers you would like to do (or finding some).
Finding out what qualifications and training you need for that career.
Setting out some actions for you to follow to take your next step.
It is really helpful if you already have some ideas. Please spend some time in Unifrog so we have something concrete to talk about.
Year 11 is very full, and it goes very fast. This always shocks students, but as soon as you start Year 11 in September, you should be thinking about what you want to do in Year 12. The college opens its applications in late October, and sixth forms about a month later. I advise all students to get their application - and a realistic back-up - in place by January. Although the closing dates for course applications are in the late spring, if you know what you want to do, and where you want to do it - why wait? Year 11 flies past and you should be concentrating on getting brilliant exam results, and not having the added pressure of needing to attend an open evening, fill in a form, go to an interview, and so on.
Around the time of your final PPE exams, I will expect everyone to have a firm offer of a place at college, sixth form, or have several apprenticeship applications on the go.
You need a back-up plan. Life can throw any of us a dodgy catch, and there are some years when a student doesn't get the grades needed for their only choice, and has to come to Joanna Brown for help finding a place anywhere, and on anything. If you really want to be studying drama, it's going to be pretty disappointing enrolling on a business course.
However, if your first choice is drama as a sixth form, and your back-up plan is performing arts at college, then not getting the grades you need for #1 still means you have your second choice in a relevant area. And it's your choice.
We hold regular career assemblies on a variety of different topics. We have heard from a physiotherapist, a detective chief constable, a rail engineer, a paramedic, a midwife, a prison officer, a teacher, a nurse . . . there is almost no limit to the people we can invite in to talk to you.
The assemblies are advertised on SharePoint, the careers calendar on the event page here, through your tutor groups, and posters around the school. Everyone is welcome to attend, but you must register to secure your place - no just turning up on the day.